SAA blast from the past

[Starship]

Hardly great pics - but two SAA items that were for sale on ebay - a postcard of an SAA Viscount ZS-CDT and a photo of an SAA Avro 748

[Cheetah 845]

I flew many flights on the Boeing 727-44's. My first flight on an airliner was ZS-SBB "Limpopo" from Durban to PE. I received a small golden Springbok for traveling over one hundred flight as a minor passenger. The aircraft I’ve flown with SAA routes are 727-44's, 737-200's (DBN-PE-DBN), A300 and A320’s (DBN-JHB-DBN), 747-SP (JHB to DBN), and currently 737-800 (JHB-PE-CT-JHB). The only Boeing 707 I’ve flown on was ZS-SAF from Grootfontein to Waterkloof and back a few times.

How many know that ZS-SIA "Tugela" crashed. The story is as follows -TANS Flight 204 departed Lima at 14:24 on a scheduled 53-minute flight to Pucallpa. After an intermediate stop, the airplane was to continue to Iquitos. At 14:52 the crew initiated the descent for Pucallpa with the intention of carrying out a visual approach and landing. While approaching Pucallpa, meteorological conditions deteriorated with immense cumulus clouds, strong winds and heavy rainfall. Runway 02 approach was unstabilized, but the crew continued the approach. The GPWS sounded as the airplane penetrated a severe hailstorm. The crew lost situational awareness and failed to abort the approach. The Boeing 737 crash-landed in swampland and broke up.

[Starship]

SAA B727-44 ZS-SBF "Komati" landing at the then Jan Smuts Airport without nose wheels. Pilot in command was Capt Duggie Barker. I don't know the date.

[Cheetah 845]

Sad remains of three SAA 727-44, ZS-SBB "Limpopo, ZS-SBE "Letaba and ZS-SBG "Swakop". ZS-SBF Komati Proudly displaying her winglets and new look. Hope she has many more safe flights.

[Starship]

ZS-SBF Komati Proudly displaying her winglets and new look.

Your new look is now an old look - She's wearing a new Kingfisher livery now

[Rogz]

This thread is a cracker...keep 'em coming! I remember my first flight on an airliner was in the Airbus "Gemsbok", in 1981. Its a pity the aircraft don't have names anymore....umm...hang on, maybe its a good idea, these new street names are bad enough!

[Starship]

The sad demise of of the 7-week-old B707-344C ZS-EUW "Pretoria" on take-off from Windhoek on the evening of April 20, 1968 with the loss of 123 on board - there were just 5 survivors. The ill-fated flight # SA 228 was under the command of Captain Eric Ray Smith and First Officer John Peter Holliday and was routing via Windhoek, Luanda, Las Palmas and Frankfurt to London.

The bottom pic shows the point of impact, where the four JT-3Ds contacted the ground and the wreckage above.

[richard C]

awesome thread !!

[Cheetah 845]

During February, 1958, three Boeing 707 Intercontinental jet aircraft are ordered by South African Airways, and signing of the contract took place on June 21, 1958. I also have access to the original crash investigation of ZS-EUW.

707-344A ZS-CKC/SAA “Johannesburg”
707-344A ZS-CKD/SAB “Cape Town”
707-344A ZS-CKE/SAC “Durban” (Sold during May 1969).

707-344B ZS-DYL/SAD “Bloemfontien”
707-344B ZS-EKV/SAE “Windhoek”

707-344C ZS-EUW “Pretoria” (Aircraft crashed on 20 April 1968).
707-344C ZS-EUX/SAF “Port Elizabeth”
707-344C ZS-FKT/SAG “Durban” (Aircraft named Durban due to ZS-SAC being sold).
707-344C ZS-FKG/SAH “Pretoria” (Aircraft named Pretoria due to the loss of ZS-EUW).
707-344C ZS-SAI “East London”

[Starship]

ZS-SBI "Kei" in her heyday flying for SAA and also the last Boeing 727 100C built. This aircraft stood at Wonderboom for a long time but left suddenly in November last year. She was being advertised for sale at the time with 37,640 hours total time. The engines fitted were Raisebeck Stage III.

[Cheetah 845]

I have never enjoyed the internet as much as this, thanks AVCOM, I only found out about this site on Saterday morning. About ZS-SBI "Kie" I took a pic of her with my cell phone late last year, bad image but this is what she looked like,

[Starship]

ZS-DYO "Vaal" at Jan Smuts back in the day

[AC6T]

MORE Orange Tails PLEEEEZZZZZZZ

R

[Starship]

How many know that ZS-SIA "Tugela" crashed. The story is as follows -TANS Flight 204 departed Lima at 14:24 on a scheduled 53-minute flight to Pucallpa.

Here are some pics of that crash

[Hiflyer]

Cheetah 845,

Thanks for answering my request, and lI ook forward to purchasing your book when finished.

If you would like any info or photos etc on SAA flights from JNB to Perth can supply some historical info. SAA last Nov celebrated 50 years of flying South Africa to Australia.

Interesting to note SAA was the first overseas Intl airline to visit West Australia.

Regards,

Hiflyer / West Australia